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Samsung Ends Updates for Galaxy S21 as S22 Line Moves to Quarterly Patches

The change caps the S21’s five-year support window, reflecting Samsung’s shift to seven-year coverage on newer models.

Overview

  • Samsung’s February 2026 security list omits the Galaxy S21, S21+, and S21 Ultra, confirming the end of regular software and security updates.
  • The Galaxy S22, S22+, and S22 Ultra have been downgraded from monthly to quarterly security patches as they enter their final support year.
  • S21 owners may still receive emergency hotfixes for critical vulnerabilities, but routine patches have stopped after the last security update in November 2025.
  • The S21 FE remains supported with security updates for another year and is slated for One UI 8 (Android 16) and a likely 8.5 feature update.
  • Samsung fulfilled the S21 series promise of four Android upgrades and five years of patches, while newer flagships now carry seven years of software support.